For the First Time in the History of Iraq, Mosul is Now Empty of Christians

One of the most horrific stories to come out of the ISIS conquest of central Iraq is the story of the Christians in Mosul (and the rest of the conquered area). There is no good parts of this story. Mafqud wa-Mawjud tells us some of the history of Christianity in the area. If you aren’t familiar with “The Church of the East” you will be amazed.

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ISIS has consolidated its hold on the city of Mosul in northern Iraq and is busy converting the metropolitan center to its own extremist brand of Sunni Islam. Last week the group’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, now styling himself Caliph Ibrahim, issued an order for Christians in the city to a convert to Islam, b pay the jizya tax on non-Muslims at an unspecified rate, or c be killed, although some awareness of the option to leave was displayed in the order as well. Reports that a church was torched are of uncertain veracity see a careful analysis of the photos circulating around the web at this blog, but images showing an Arabic ن for نصارى, nasara, meaning “Christians” spray-painted on various houses indicate that these houses were available to be seized. Nor are Christians the only ones to suffer: reportedly some Shiite men have disappeared, Shiite families have been told to flee or be killed, and Shiite homes have been emblazoned with another Arabic letter, ر for رافضي rafidi something like “heretic scum,” while reports are also circulating that ISIS has destroyed the Sunni shrine and tomb of Nabi Yunus the biblical prophet Jonah in the ruins of ancient Nineveh to the east of the Tigris. In this climate, most Christians chose to leave Mosul for the comparatively tolerant lands of Iraqi Kurdistan to the north, although refugees have reported being robbed of all their belongings at the checkpoint leaving the city.

The Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon, Louis Sako, who is presently the highest ranking ecclesiastical official of any denomination in Iraq, commented on the expulsion of the Christians, “For the first time in the history of Iraq, Mosul is now empty of Christians.”

This comment may strike many Americans as odd, because they presume that Iraq and the Middle East more generally are necessarily Muslim regions, and Christianity there must be a recent European importation. But that is far from the case. Since the study of Iraqi Christianity is an area of expertise, I thought I would present here a brief timeline of Mosul and its Christians.

In antiquity, whatever settlement or fortification existed on the site of the center of modern Mosul was overshadowed by Nineveh, the old Assyrian capital. It is unknown when Christianity first arrived in Nineveh, although it had an important bishop by 554, when its bishop was one of the signatories to a council of the Church of the East. At that time, the bishop was under the authority of the metropolitan archbishop of Arbela modern Erbil to the east of Nineveh, and the patriarchate was in the capital of the Sasanian Persian Empire, south of modern Baghdad. By the early seventh century, there were also Syriac Orthodox Christians in the region we know of as Iraq, with their regional headquarters in Tagrit modern Tikrit, and an important monastery of Mor Matay outside Mosul. There was also an important monastery of the Church of the East outside Mosul, the monastery of Mar Gabriel and Mar Abraham, also called the “Upper Monastery,” which later became an important center for liturgical reform in the Church of the East.

I also note that Jessica’s co-author Chalcedon451 has written on this as well, here, and here. In addition there is a category there that deals with the history of The Church of the East, if you would like to know more of its history, it is quite fascinating, that category is here.

A short quote from Chalcedon451 will explain the symbol that is illustrated with this article. This is from his first linked article.

I have come to have some doubts about the second war with Iraq, although I was a strong supporter of it. But, notwithstanding my, or your, beliefs on the validity of the war, it happened. What also happened is that America ran away from what we had wrought, thereby causing all the death and injuries to our soldiers and those of our allies, like the British who stood with us to be in vain. In addition, I see no reason why the martyrdom of the Iraqi Christians should not also be laid at the door of those who decided we should, in the inelegant military phrase, “bug out”. May God have mercy on their souls.

Frankly, at this late date there is little to do other than pray for our brothers and sisters in Iraq, while sadly noting that many have been martyred and no doubt more will be.

Reblogged this on Liberalism is Trust Fucked with Prudence. Conservatism is Distrust Tainted with Fear and commented:
JONAH’s tomb was blown up 24 years ago by US air force fighter jet amateur redneck pilots during gulf war not by ISIS.
Baghdadi bulldozed to the ground pagan Shiite Imambaras alas clergymen extortion dins where idiots robbed to get salvation and key to paradise. ISIS ain’t turning those sacred grounds to boozing, mating, fucking grounds and brothels but Baghdadi vowed in his virgin sermon to build modern mosques, schools and libraries.

غرد ياطقعان الضراط ابلاش
Now see what have you done? Jackass!
No one hears your screams when you’re fucking serious.
Cry wolf’ a dirty art of begging to read and ain’t genius way to neither milk camaraderie nor pose as Rooster but stooopid idea to blow up credibility.
This horsemanure can be comfortably rated as carefully crafted worthless crude propaganda. Misleading Spicy headings ain’t worthwhile perusing further but thesaurus exhausted vocabulary deadly boring Mediawhores’ GoogledJunk Nutrant, WikiTrash and Crude Propaganda Horsemanure.
Quit fucking the Damn News. Israel!? Stop hijacking headlines. It’s boring and it’s getting offensive.
OK take it easy now. You hear me. You got my permission. Shave your legs, lube your rear. Go ahead and shove this breaking up into your Ass.
HAPPY HOLOCAUST DAY ISRAEL
Criminals always pretend to be innocent victims, and pretend real victims are Criminals. Holocaust perpetuates this meme. It convinces real victims, goyim, that they are “bullies” if they resist real Criminals, Illuminati’s Jewish and Masonic fronts.
Here’s the deal Talmud says.
1 God is never angry about the Jews, just about Non-Jews.
2 Jews may steal from Non-Jews.
3 Jews always have to try to deceive Non-Jews.
4 Jews may lie to Non-Jews. Jews may use lies subterfuges to circumvent Gentile.
5 Every Jew is allowed to use lies and perjury to bring Non-Jew to ruin.
Cry Auschwitz Dachau Birkenau
PSST: ISIS is Terrorist Organization ain’t Tours Organizer. US State secretary john Kerry kept ten million dollars reward for getting ISIS Chief Baghdadi wanted dead or alive.
If Christians see $475 is too much to save their 7000 years investment then I rest my case

JONAH’s tomb was blown up 24 years ago by US air force fighter jet amateur redneck pilots during gulf war not by ISIS.
Baghdadi bulldozed to the ground pagan Shiite Imambaras alas clergymen extortion dins where idiots robbed to get salvation and key to paradise. ISIS ain’t turning those sacred grounds to boozing, mating, fucking grounds and brothels but Baghdadi vowed in his virgin sermon to build modern mosques, schools and libraries.

غرد ياطقعان الضراط ابلاش
Now see what have you done? Jackass!
No one hears your screams when you’re fucking serious.
Cry wolf’ a dirty art of begging to read and ain’t genius way to neither milk camaraderie nor pose as Rooster but stooopid idea to blow up credibility.
This horsemanure can be comfortably rated as carefully crafted worthless crude propaganda. Misleading Spicy headings ain’t worthwhile perusing further but thesaurus exhausted vocabulary deadly boring Mediawhores’ GoogledJunk Nutrant, WikiTrash and Crude Propaganda Horsemanure.
Quit fucking the Damn News. Israel!? Stop hijacking headlines. It’s boring and it’s getting offensive.
OK take it easy now. You hear me. You got my permission. Shave your legs, lube your rear. Go ahead and shove this breaking up into your Ass.
HAPPY HOLOCAUST DAY ISRAEL
Criminals always pretend to be innocent victims, and pretend real victims are Criminals. Holocaust perpetuates this meme. It convinces real victims, goyim, that they are “bullies” if they resist real Criminals, Illuminati’s Jewish and Masonic fronts.
Here’s the deal Talmud says.
1 God is never angry about the Jews, just about Non-Jews.
2 Jews may steal from Non-Jews.
3 Jews always have to try to deceive Non-Jews.
4 Jews may lie to Non-Jews. Jews may use lies subterfuges to circumvent Gentile.
5 Every Jew is allowed to use lies and perjury to bring Non-Jew to ruin.
Cry Auschwitz Dachau Birkenau
PSST: ISIS is Terrorist Organization ain’t Tours Organizer. US State secretary john Kerry kept ten million dollars reward for getting ISIS Chief Baghdadi wanted dead or alive.
If Christians see $475 is too much to save their 7000 years investment then I rest my case

A Reminder of Our Heritage

“Every man, who parrots the cry of ‘stand by the President’ without adding the proviso ‘so far as he serves the Republic’ takes an attitude as essentially unmanly as that of any Stuart royalist who championed the doctrine that the King could do no wrong. No self-respecting and intelligent free man could take such an attitude.”

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You’re St. Melito of Sardis!

You have a great love of history and liturgy. You’re attached to the traditions of the ancients, yet you recognize that the old world — great as it was — is passing away. You are loyal to the customs of your family, though you do not hesitate to call family members to account for their sins.